We've had some really crappy weather lately even for Michigan. For weather I try to give a 5 minute buffer since I'm usually not going anywhere anyways in bad stuff. But when all my parents are in a 10 minute radius I'm finding that hard to do now. One texted at 4:58 that she would be 2 minutes late for a 5 pm pick up. She was 10 minutes late. The other texted they would pick up 30 minutes early and they ended up being 3 minutes late. The weather is bad and none of my parents can punch out early for weather. It's not super late,but enough to cut into my evening especially now that I have a second work at home job at nights that the parents don't know about. How lenient are you when you know they will have to find other arrangements for pick up if they can't get here on time?

I do offer parents an option of contacting me by 5:45 (15 min before close) or more to let me know if they will be late due to weather or traffic. At this point instead of paying $10 for the first min of being late plus a dollar for every min after they pay $10 per 30 min. I also have stated that this is only done with providers permission to keep repet offenders from being late.
So far no one has had to be told no and parents have been good except for one when I use to say $10 for and hour then she would always show up near the end of the hour, I find a half hour only leaves room for getting here not for any added stops.

I'm pretty understanding when it comes to weather. There are some things that are out of our control.

However, I expect communication. I get pretty cranky when I have to text a parent to ask where they are at. Or when a parent tells me they are going to be late instead of asking. But if I had plans or if it was becoming a problem, then I would have to ask that they have someone else pick-up if they couldn't make it in time.

I live in the same place/area/zip code as my all my clients.
Our weather isn’t new to any of us. (here)
Rules we agreed upon are the same rules we agreed upon in the Summer and the same in the Winter.
Everyone adapts to the same environment.

I'm pretty understanding when it comes to weather. There are some things that are out of our control.

However, I expect communication. I get pretty cranky when I have to text a parent to ask where they are at. Or when a parent tells me they are going to be late instead of asking. But if I had plans or if it was becoming a problem, then I would have to ask that they have someone else pick-up if they couldn't make it in time.

Same here. Communication and respect are important to me. I'm willing to be somewhat flexible under extenuating circumstances but if I know or sense I'm being taken advantage of, that flexibility disappears.

We've had some really crappy weather lately even for Michigan. For weather I try to give a 5 minute buffer since I'm usually not going anywhere anyways in bad stuff. But when all my parents are in a 10 minute radius I'm finding that hard to do now. One texted at 4:58 that she would be 2 minutes late for a 5 pm pick up. She was 10 minutes late. The other texted they would pick up 30 minutes early and they ended up being 3 minutes late. The weather is bad and none of my parents can punch out early for weather. It's not super late,but enough to cut into my evening especially now that I have a second work at home job at nights that the parents don't know about. How lenient are you when you know they will have to find other arrangements for pick up if they can't get here on time?

Luckily my parents all have been on time, but I'm in Michigan too and boy we have had it terrible this year. I've had in the past people a couple of minutes late when the roads are insanely bad, but I figure I"m going nowhere and a couple of minutes late instead of them getting into an accident I'm not worrying about. If they are good the rest of the time, then I am a little lenient.

Just curious what is your other job? I signed up to do Shipt, but have only done it twice.

I'm flexible if I'm communicated to and it's an actual surprise emergency. Weather that's been talked about for 2 days isn't an emergency. It's poor planning. If it happens multiple times flexibility is out the window.

Ironically the families I've had that drive the farthest to/from work are the ones that were never late due to weather.

Thanks for all your feedback. I think I decided I can continue to be flexible for about 5 minutes but after that it's a no. I charged them both late fees. When the weather was bad all day and you only work a few miles away from me, there is no reason to be more than 10 minutes late. I've been having multiple problems with these 2 families in particular and I'm about at my breaking point.

Luckily my parents all have been on time, but I'm in Michigan too and boy we have had it terrible this year. I've had in the past people a couple of minutes late when the roads are insanely bad, but I figure I"m going nowhere and a couple of minutes late instead of them getting into an accident I'm not worrying about. If they are good the rest of the time, then I am a little lenient.

Just curious what is your other job? I signed up to do Shipt, but have only done it twice.

I just got a job teaching for VIPKID. I've heard good and bad things and JUST started so we will see. I'm hoping it's my exit out of daycare or at least my exit from these 2 families. I have one family that's pretty good that I would keep but the rest of the people around here all want special for daycare and most daycares here give parents whatever they want so it's hard to compete. I plan to do both daycare and VIPKID until summer so I can see if VIPKID will actually make me some decent money. With my experience,my pay is $10 per class or about $20 per hour.

I just got a job teaching for VIPKID. I've heard good and bad things and JUST started so we will see. I'm hoping it's my exit out of daycare or at least my exit from these 2 families. I have one family that's pretty good that I would keep but the rest of the people around here all want special for daycare and most daycares here give parents whatever they want so it's hard to compete. I plan to do both daycare and VIPKID until summer so I can see if VIPKID will actually make me some decent money. With my experience,my pay is $10 per class or about $20 per hour.

I've been teaching for vipkid kid for 2 years now! It's such an easy job. I used to make bank and has tons of bookings but over the last year, my bookings have really decreased. As long as you get bookings, you will do great!!! I wouldn't rely on this income though because it's not very stable (although some people do).

I'm flexible if I'm communicated to and it's an actual surprise emergency.

I would be flexible in the case of a surprise emergency too. We had a surprise blizzard on Saturday. The snow was predicted but even from watching the weather, I was surprised at the white out conditions that came up suddenly. (I was on the road when it struck.)

However, those surprises shouldn't be happening more than twice a year, kwim?

I tell parents that if they are unexpectedly late, they can feel good knowing that their children are safe. Parents need to know that the late fees are totally worth it. If they have a $10 late fee over being unexpectedly late, they are still getting a good deal in that their child is okay even though the parent is in a tough situation.